‘He looked after me and helped me out’ — and more emotional quotes from Rio

The Olympics can do funny things to the most stoic of people. You find yourself welling up watching the taekwondo medal ceremony and the Brownlee brothers lying on the ground post-triathlon triumph can make your bottom lip quiver. And so it’s no surprise, that when it comes the equestrian sport, we’re an emotional wreck.

With soaring highs and crashing lows, here are some of the quotes from Rio 2016 that have got us going…

“I owe it to [Valegro] to finish his career at the top”

Charlotte Dujardin, only the second female British Olympian to win three gold medals, on it being unlikely that superstar Valegro will contest another championship

“My buddy, my friend, the horse that has given everything for me his whole life does not deserve this”

Dutch dressage rider Adelinde Cornelissen, on retiring Parzival from the grand prix, after he was suffering from a toxic fever

“This time it was me letting [Super Nova II] down; often it’s him that gets stage fright”

Spencer Wilton on a blip in the special

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“Blueberry knew I was nervous. He looked after me and helped me out. Trotting round the edge, he picked up and I knew we were ready to go”